英伦广角 2011-02-20 2012年伦敦奥运会场馆敲定（在线收听）

The battle to take over the London 2012 stadium has been as fierce and vocal as pretty much any which will take place in it. Whoever wins this particular race will determine how this venue will look in the decades to come, and just as importantly who among us will get to enjoy it. West Ham would keep the running track and use the venue for athletics, football, cricket and concerts. Tottenham Hotspur would demolish much of the half a billion pounds of structure and rebuild the 60,000-seater stadium in its place, specifically for football. Two very different bids, getting the decision right is crucial.

There is so much of the aftermaths of many Olympic Games, has been marred by empty stadium, unused facilities, lots of public money appearing to have been wasted. We are not going to do that. We planned legacy into our Olympic park right from the start. It’s one of the reasons that we won.

While there’s been a lot of passionate discussion about the merits of each of the bids, the fact is they are both very strong. Spur is seemed to be the signed financial option, but they promised to deliver a legacy to helping regenerate the local area and investing in a national center for athletics at Crystal Palace. West Ham is considered to be the obvious legacy choice, but they say their finances are signed and calculations are based on the worst case scenarios. So even the club is relegated to the championship, they are still able to pay the bills. Here, meaning crucially, you and I won’t have to.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been one overall favorite in this competition. As well as being the local club, West Ham has most of their supporters and the athletics community on board. Something that spurs fans say shouldn't be a factor.

Why should Tottenham win it is because Tottenham's bid really makes more sense, and it’s much better commercially, and better for the tax payer, and better for the Olympic park a long term. Tottenham would become a great anchor, attraction if you like, for what would become a great place, a great experience place to go. The West Ham proposal, with the greatest respect to them, is flawed.

It is truly that the governments and the London mayor can still decline today’s recommendation for the stadium and it will a number of weeks of negotiating with the preferred partner until anything is signed. Whoever takes the lead today though or had a head start; that will be almost impossible to catch.

Orla Chennaoui, Sky News at the Olympic and Paralympic stadium in East London.